🏀 KuBuckets Archive

https://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/news/candid-coaches-who-will-be-the-best-team-in-college-basketball-in-2017-18/ ↗ ↗

Interesting quote from an anonymous coach about KU:

"They do have experience with Svi (Mykhailiuk) and (Devonté) Graham, and then you do have Malik (Newman) who did great in Italy, and you have the big fella (Udoka Azubuike) that sat out. Malik concerns me most. I think he's going to be feast or famine. I think some games he's going to go off or 30, and other games he's in the dog house all day."

Makes me think this is some wishful thinking on the Squid's part. Yes, I think this is the Squid they are quoting- maybe he's trying to get inside Malik's head before our match up.

Does he know what he's talking about?

Kansas, which earned plaudits, is in an interesting spot. Self has won 13 straight regular-season conference titles. The Jayhawks will have a new look this season: a four-guard attack. Coaches noted that Self's terrific as a coaching tactician because his teams are never similar, in terms of the types of players Kansas has, year after year after year.

I expect this year to be a more traditional lineup until one of the bigs has to sit, then it's back to the 4-1.

Bill Self can go several different ways with his current talent...and will probably have to. If I am preparing to defend against this Jayhawk squad I had best prepare for startling change-ups!

Well, if Malik has bad games he is going to get to play through them. Self isn't going to sit him for long stretches.

@dylans Self has been pretty flexible since 2013 imo.

Agree with the coach talking about Jaren Jackson. He was a player I was hoping KU would try to land. MSU is gonna be ridiculous this year.

I think they are assuming Newman will be feast or famine because that's how he was a MSU.

He played in 29 games.

10 times, he scored 15 or more points. 10 times he scored 7 or less. At times he seemed simply lost within their scheme. He couldn't find shots (or couldn't find good ones) at times.

I don't think that will be a problem for Malik at KU, and with a year under his belt, he will almost certainly have a better understanding of the scheme than he had a MSU (and likely a better scheme to take advantage of his talents).

My guess is the person that said that about Malik is an assistant in the SEC. Malik went for 25 in one matchup with Ole Miss. He went for 3 in the second matchup. Went for 15 against South Carolina in the first matchup, but was shut out in the second. Those are the types of performances, especially if you watch them live, that can put a perception about a player into your head.

@justanotherfan That is why I think the quote was from coach Squid- it had to be somebody that had played against him at Miss St.

MSU is overrated right now, just my opinion though. No PG and the worst defensive team Izzo has ever had was last seasons team. Unless Jackson comes in and makes them 6 points better per game defensively, I don't see them as a FF team.

@Kcmatt7 He might, he's 6'11'' and athletic.

@justanotherfan Good observation. I think Malik being around better players will help. Miss State fans were acting like they'd get a lot better without him, but they still sucked last year too.

@KUSTEVE

I don't think it's Calipari because MSU only played UK once that year, and Malik had a pretty average game - 14 points on 43% shooting. For the year he averaged 11.3 points on 39% shooting.

It seems more likely that the sort of comment would be made by someone that saw him twice, and saw him play really well once and really poorly once. Ole Miss and South Carolina fit that bill. I could see Frank Martin saying something like that. Andy Kennedy might also, but I could certainly see one of their assistants say that, particularly because the assistants are often responsible for prepping the gameplan for conference games, and the same assistant would have prepped for MSU in both games.

Look at the quote - "Go for 30, be in the dog house all day."

25 points (season high) in 36 minutes in a win at home against Ole Miss.

3 points (tied for second lowest on the season) in 24 minutes in a road loss to Ole Miss.

That's basically exactly what he did against Ole Miss. Best game of the year in one game (carrying his team to the win), one of the worst games of the year in the other (as his team lost).

If I'm on that Ole Miss Staff, that's what I remember about Malik Newman. He beat us in one game, he got his team beat in the other.

@justanotherfan And yet it was the opposite that season against South Carolina. Malik went for 15 in 28 mins in a loss in Columbia (I was at that game!), but he didn't score in 16 mins when Miss St beat the Gamecocks at home. That second game was end of Feb, and maybe the coach didn't want to play Malik too much since he was likely not coming back--4 other guys had dbl figures.

@BShark I've been wrong before. And I do think they will be the best team in the Big 10. I just think they have their own faults.

Duke is the only team with the potential to have no weaknesses. But they have such a young team it all depends on if they buy in.

@Kcmatt7 I think Arizona is the clear cut best team, but maybe the orca screws that up.

@BShark I just think Arizona has the exact same problem we have. An amazing starting 5 and are very deep on the perimeter. But if you get Their bigs in trouble, they are super thin.

Kcmatt7 said:

MSU is overrated right now, just my opinion though. No PG and the worst defensive team Izzo has ever had was last seasons team. Unless Jackson comes in and makes them 6 points better per game defensively, I don't see them as a FF team.

They do have a good PG

@BeddieKU23 Winston?

He's ok. Nothing special. Very solid distributor, but not a great scorer or defender. He turns the ball over A LOT for a guy who doesn't score the ball overly well or is the focal point of their offense. (26% Turnover percentage is absurdly high).

@Kcmatt7 He was a frosh. He still needs to play a ton over Nairn. Nairn is PG Jamari death hole. They play 4 on 5 when he is out there. Their front court is RIDICULOUS. Their 4th front court player might start for KU....

Side note: if Josh Langford had that kind of FR season at KU, people would be killing Self. Doesn't seem to even be mentioned with Izzo. :/

Kcmatt7 said:

@BeddieKU23 Winston?

He's ok. Nothing special. Very solid distributor, but not a great scorer or defender. He turns the ball over A LOT for a guy who doesn't score the ball overly well or is the focal point of their offense. (26% Turnover percentage is absurdly high).

As @BShark said he was a freshman and I thought he was pretty good for them. 5 assists per game is nothing to scoff at either. He had a typical freshman year and with Bridges, Ward & Langford all back he can continue to be the leader while not being forced to be a huge offensive catalyst for them.

BShark said:

@Kcmatt7 He was a frosh. He still needs to play a ton over Nairn. Nairn is PG Jamari death hole. They play 4 on 5 when he is out there. Their front court is RIDICULOUS. Their 4th front court player might start for KU....

Side note: if Josh Langford had that kind of FR season at KU, people would be killing Self. Doesn't seem to even be mentioned with Izzo. :/

Langford will take a big jump this year. I was surprised he wasn't better last season. Just goes to show no matter how good you are in HS most of these kids take time to get comfortable. Michigan St has a scary trio of Soph's and Jackson coming in

@BeddieKU23 Honestly not sure he played enough. His advanced numbers were good, but Izzo gonna Izzo and play everybody.

And yeah you just don't see that many high ranked FR stay after one year. Bridges was the one that should have gone but I can't fault a kid for wanting to stay in school and have fun.

@BShark For some reason Bill has the underachiever stigma while Izzo has the overachiever one.

If you compare Bill and Izzo in Bill's time at KU, Izzo has lost in the 1st weekend 6 times. Bill only 3 times.

Kcmatt7 said:

@BShark For some reason Bill has the underachiever stigma while Izzo has the overachiever one.

If you compare Bill and Izzo in Bill's time at KU, Izzo has lost in the 1st weekend 6 times. Bill only 3 times.

It's those surprising final four runs for Izzo that drive the narrative. Well, you could say those teams underachieved in the regular season. Self's record in the EE is unfortunate. Turn two of those into ff appearances and not even necessarily a title and it would be completely different.

How soon til late night? 😋

Sept 30th my friend, not soon enough lol. - - ROCK CHALK ALL DAY LONG BABY

@BShark They both have one ring and one runner-up. Izzo lost 5 times in the nat'l semifinal. Bill has gone to the champ game in both F4s. Bill has more losses in the E8, but fewer losses in lower rounds. Izzo has more appearances.

Both are extraordinary coaches that all but 2 or 3 schools would gladly take. Who is better? Who cares?

@mayjay Kind of the point we are making. Just talking about how bills 5* busts have hurt his recruiting, or at least drawn more criticism, than Izzos despite having hall of fame resumes.

^Yeah. They have similar resumes. It's just...the national narrative is completely different. Maybe because Self is at a blue blood in Kansas and Izzo is doing it at MSU? Honestly, MSU is in a more talent rich area. Izzo has 4 top 150 players on board for 2018, all from Michigan.

No comparison, in my mind. Bill Self wins in every metric except Final Four appearances, and Final Four losses. Bill has done in 2 appearances at the Final Four what Izzo has done in 7 appearances. Izzo has won 7 Big Ten titles in 21 years; Bill has won 17 conference championships since 1997, including 2 back to back Big Ten titles at Illinois.

@BShark Great recruiting area. Stones throw from Toronto, Detroit, Chicago, Indianapolis, Cleveland, Columbus, Cincinnati, Pittsburgh and Milwaukee.

Haha. I forgot Frank intimidated Bridges into staying in college.

@dylans loved that pic!

@KUSTEVE "...including 2 back to back Big Ten titles at Illinois."

And those also came coaching against Izzo.